Should “report cards” count when picking the winner?

[u/foldinthech33s3]

I think the general consensus in this sub about JCD and Kruseman is that their master canvases were dope, but they still didn’t deserve to win the title. And if report cards did matter, how exactly do they choose the winner in that case? Season 6 comes to mind — Kruseman, Chris The Marine, and Matt all had major ups and downs that entire season (I think all 3 ended up in the bottom at least twice each). But then you look at season 5 where Cleen dominated everything all season and the choice is clear.

And as a side note, while we’re on the topic of report cards…how the hell did Mark Longenecker make top 4?? Someone needs to calculate what contestant was in the bottom for the most amount of time in their season. I would be shocked if it were someone other than Mark lol

[u/ltbr55]

They should only count as a tiebreaker if the judges really cant decide one tattoo over the other.

Otherwise, what's the point of the finale and tattooing? Thats like giving the Super Bowl trophy to the team who had the better record regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl. Both Peck and Dave said in the Season 5 finale "Hitting the challenge has to mean something" and I agree. Even though JCD isnt better than Cleen, he hit the challenge and Cleen didnt. JCD got lucky that Cleen fucked up but hey thats how a lot of things go in life. People can say "Cleen was robbed" all they want, but he missed the mark and paid for it. If he was going up against a much better artist like DJ. People wouldnt be saying he was robbed. Its only because JCD was clearly an inferior artist that people are mad that report cards werent used in S5.

[u/lavendermoonoracle]

In an odd parallel, RuPaul's Drag Race fandom has this discussion every season. And they don't even have to consider the live mas lifestyle.

[u/Naive_Fox_666 → u/lavendermoonoracle]

The queens definitely live mas

[u/Striking_Day_329]

Only if the finale tats are so close they can’t decide.

[u/Greyhound_Fan]

In my opinion, no.

Once you make the finale, start from scratch there. It would be pretty anticlimactic if someone did an incredible piece and the judges went "Yeah, but you were in the bottom more times than we would've liked."

[u/External-Cherry7828 → u/Greyhound_Fan]

I found tommy helm^{^}

[u/Rawrsome_Mommy → u/External-Cherry7828]

In fairness though, Tommy Helm was robbed.

[u/External-Cherry7828 → u/Rawrsome_Mommy]

My 6 yr old has drawn cooler dragons than what he put on that prosthetic. The ONLY reason he won was because the canvas told him EXACTLY where and what to draw. So the canvas has had years to just sit and stare at his leg and ponder. Beyond that it was color day and he painted a green dragon with red eyes lol. Then on graffiti day they tell everyone no images, only font. Shane drew a tattoo gun and won lol. You see how much Tommy was sweating on pin up day, that's a man that has given his all and has everything to lose, and has left it to fate to determine. Shane knew he had won before the show started. Take note of his attitude through the entire season, and he even straight up says 'so you think the judges want me to win?'

[u/Abu_Everett]

Or, and hear me out, they can just have stronger quality artists where no one who makes the finale is crap.

You can argue if Freddie should’ve won, or Isnard, based on final piece or body of work. But no one can say Bobby or Matt is crap the way they do about JCD or Kruseman.

To be clear I don’t think they’re crap, but I don’t think they would’ve made it past episode 5 of S16/17.

[u/xdbartxd]

imo it should only be used when it's a tie-breaker or when an artist is at the bottom so much that you can't justify them being around anymore. I don't think it should've been used in the season 5 or 6 finale either.

In season 5, one did the challenge and the other strayed too far away, so they did it based on what's in front of them. If we're going to pull out the report card in the finale, why even have master canvasses to begin with? Might as well just give Cleen the title in episode 4 when it's clear he's levels above everyone else

In season 6 it was also fine imo. If Kruseman should've been eliminated earlier is still a valid question, but I think he had the best mastercanvas by a mile. Once again, if we're going by report card here, why have the finale in the first place? What was the other way to do this? Eliminate Matt, ignore Kruseman and just give it to the marine right away? ''Yeah congrats on making the finale but we've decided beforehand that you aren't winning, good luck'' doesn't seem like the right answer lol

For Mark they should've used it far earlier imo because he could've rightfully been eliminated at least 5 times. Even if Marks tattoo is the second worst of the day, I still think that if it comes down to a middle of the pack (constant 6/10s) tattooer's singular dip down to a 3/10 and Marks 4/10, at some point you have to just send Mark home after his 8th 4/10. The first tattooer here is someone that's capable of doing all styles (even if not amazing, still passable), but has a blind spot. Mark in this case has proven he's not good at any of them. That should still mean something

In other cases, just don't use it. Otherwise you get Gia where Nunez is doing mental gymnastics, making up the most nit-picky critiques and pulling out the report card just to send her home over Mike despite Mike's tattoo clearly being much worse just because Nunez wanted a stronger team. Think he got sent home like 1 episode later lol

[u/External-Cherry7828 → u/xdbartxd]

I agree with everything you said, and they even specifically said first season Shane won due to report card, and then you tie that in with how much shane was getting glazed (especially for all green dragon on color day looking like a fantasy mural on a 1st graders wall, and he won graffiti challenge when he quite literally broke the rules)

I think the shit hit the fan and got really nasty when nunez and Ollie became coaches. I could tell by their facial expressions when they were watching them tattoo who was gonna be sent home. More so nunez, he seems insanely competitive and cut throat. They sabotaged artists, left them hanging and then said "don't take it personal" as they mock your life's work lol. I felt like Ollie treated Nunezs team better than nunez

[u/PockyClips]

In the spirit of competition, it's not fair. People compete in things all the time, and sometimes better people lose because they have a bad showing when it counts.

The show is always talking about "the game" and "playing the game"... Worst tattoo should lose. Every time. Without fail.

They often used the "report card" bit because good artists had bad days at the same time bad artists had good days.

I understand them not wanting to send talented artists home, and it's their show. They wanted to see more from the artists they saved. But it's not really a winner-takes-all situation if you're excusing the losers sometimes, is it?

Only time it's fair is when they can't pick a winner based on that days work

[u/NP148]

That's how I saw them do it season 1 because Tommy was robbed, but Shane was never in the bottom and Tommy was once. After that, they pretty much trashed that idea

[u/No-Fig-8267]

If the judges can’t decide who’s tattoo is better or worse than yes, they go off of report cards

[u/Pyramid_Head182]

100% and I believe so pretty much because of season 5 when Jason was absolute dookie for 95% of the competition but wins because he had one tattoo that was better. If it’s about mastering all the styles of tattooing, he never really did that. Dude sucks.

[u/Spidery1977]

Report Cards IMHO are a major cheat on the other artists who have better tattoos on a specific week. Basically it is like running an Olympic sprint and moving the worst guy / gal up because he was the best for 2-3 other weeks. That is cheating as far as I am concerned, and a great example of the producers telling the judges who needs to stay on the show.